Nonscrew plug



Allg. 23, 1932. A R WOLF-E 1,873,856

` NoNscREw PLUGA Filed March 6. 1929 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Farmaci Aug.y.23, 1932 UNIT sas;

.ARCI-IIE-REXALD WOLFE, OF SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY NoNscREW :PLUG

Appuatoa mea Marca e,

192e. seria1No.344,89o.

(GNANNDD UNDER Tira ,Aer or MARGH 3,1883, As AMENDED APRIL 3o, 192s; 370mais?) My invention relates to improvement in electric plugs adaptedftoengage andl make electrical connection with the standard screw .rimsocket, and-the objects of the improveglments-a're, first, -to produce anon-screw electric plug that can be instantly attached'andY electricallyconnected to the standard screw rim socket without screwing said pluglor Socket and that `can be instantly detached and electricallydisconnected from said sock-` et without screwing the latter or saidplug; second, to provide in a non-screw plug a means for elevating its'center contact a lim- .ited distance after said plug is attached to 154the screw rim of said socket and means for depressing said centercontact before said plug can be inserted within or attached to; saidscrew rim; third, to provide in a non- 1 -lvscrewplug an elevating anddepressing zo'means for elevating and depressing its center contact, 'anattaching and detaching means for attaching and detaching the screw rimof the standard socket Vwithout screwing ...said plug orV socket, and asingle means on'V the Outsideof said plug lfor operating both saidelevating and depressing means and attaching and detaching means;fourth, to' providey in a non-screw plug a receptacle means forattaching and electrically connect? 'ing any standard electric plugattachment g' fth, to produce a non-screw plug readily designed withbinding posts and insulated base cap forl connection directly with theleads of portable electric lamps and other portable electric apparatus;and sixth, to produce a non-screw electric plug that is adapted to beused in place of the standard screw rim plug on portable electricapparatus `such as VacuumV cleaners, toasters,"wafrle irons,

laundry irons, oortable lamps,` etc., and that will save the Americanpublic millions of dol,- lars worth of time each year' now wasted whilescrewing the standard screw rim plug .into and out of the standard screwrim socket. i

One form of my invention, anon-screwv plug provided with receptacles forreceiving and electrically connecting the standard plug attachment isdescribed in this specification and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which, Fig. 1, is a view ofthe inv'en,f tion from a pointvertically. abovethecen ter of its center contact and showing said pluginthe contracted'position; Fig. 2, isa vertical sectional view on thebroken line 1 1, Figfl showing the` fastening'yelements in contractedposition; Fig. 2a'is a similar viewf showing the fastening elements inexpanded position; Fig. 3, is a vertical'sectionalview on the brokenline 2 '2 a viewV of the bottom.

Similar numerals referto .similarv partsl throughout theseveral view sf.

In this particular formgof the invention I prefer to illustratethe metalarmsl, and 2, as oined together at their lower' ends` forming a UVshaped spring .the tension. of which tends to separate said'arms at'all timesf The lower end of saidspring' is Asecuredtoi the lower section3,0fthe insulation body and within the cavity 4, ofthe lattervby theI.mai-1. chine screwl 5, which isAcountersunl,i`intdthe` bottom vof saidsection 3. Said arrnsjl',and 2, are provided with the contacts '6,jandv7, respectively, which are threadedto mesh with the threads ontheinteriorfof the screwv rim" of the standard socket.

The middle section 8, and the upper sec- 4^ tion 9, of theinsulation`body,and said lower section 3, are rigidly clampedandVsecured together by the threadedtie boltsl 10,v and 11,'j which passthrough apertures provided in said sections 9, 8,' and 3, andare securedbythe threaded nuts 12, and 13, respectively,.which' arecountersunk'into the bottom of said. sec*- tioni. Q r' rl`he'apertures14C,V and 15, in said section'8, accommodate. said arms 1, and 2,:respeto# tively, and limit the'distance the latter cany expand or beseparatedsfrom each other-,and the slots '16, 17, and r18, in'saidVsection '9,`r accommodate said arms 1, and`2,l and contacts 6, and 7 andlimit 4the distance the lat. ter can be contracted or moved toward: eachother. f

The metal center contact 19, is rigidly aff'z fixed to the reciprocatingmetalcenter contactK rod 20, which projects downward 'through-fapertures provided in saidsections I 9, vand" 8, f and into said cavity4, andis provided withV the slotted aperture 21, and the metal iange 22,which is contracted into and secured in a circular groove in said rod20. The latter also passes through a slotted aperture near the upper end and a circular aperture near the lower end of the metal center contactspring 23, which is secured to the upper side of said middle section 8,by the machine screw 24, and nut 25, which alsosecure the springattachment contact 26, to the under side ot said section 8. The force ofsaid spring 23, is applied between the underside of the iange 22, andsaid section 8, thus tending to keep said rod 20, in the elevatedposition at all times, and permanent electrical connection is completedfrom said rod 20, through said lange22, spring 23, screw 24, and nut 25,to said attachmentV contact 26. rlhe attachment aperture 27,accommodates said contact 26; and the attachment aperture 28, in saidlower -section 3, accommodates the spring attachment contact 29, one endof which is electrically connected and secured to said arms 1, andf2, bysaid screw 5.

The arm l, is enlarged in width near its middle portion and is providedwith the -aperture 30, which accommodates the insulation sleeve 31,which is secured to the metal cam lever 32, and insulates the latterfrom said arm l, and the metal radial arm 33, which is pivoted or hingedto said arm 1, by means ofthe axis tip 34which is retained within theaxial aperture 35', in said arm 1` One end of said sleeve `31, isreduced in diameter and engages an aperture in the upper end of saidradial arm 33. The latter is secured to said sleeve 31, by means ofthe-insulated button 36, which is secured by machine thread to one A endof said cam lever 32. The other end of the latter projects into theslotted. aperture 21, in said center contact rod 20.

The insulated button 37,` is secured to the metal screw 38, which issecured to said arm 2. VThe cavity 39, in the lower end of said uppersection 9, accommodates said flange 22,

spring 23, nut 25, and the upper end of said screw 24. K

` In the practical operation of this form of the invention, the buttons36, and 37, are grasped and manually depressed by thumb and forefingerofV one hand. Asthe tension ofthe spring 23, is considerably weaker thanthat of the arms 1, and 2, the button 36, is depressed first, whichmoves the sleeve 31, cam lever 32, and radial arm 33, as a unit on theaxis of the latter depressing the inner end of said cam lever 32, andconsequently the center contact rod 20, and contact 19, a limiteddistance untily said radial arm 33, is fully depressed against said arml. Suiiicient additional pressure on said buttons 36, and 37contractssaid arms 1, and 2, a maximum distance within the slots 17, and 18, re.-spectively., The mechanism of said plug is now in the full contractedposition as shown makes electrical contact with the center con,

tact of said socket.

To remove said plug from said socket simply depress said buttons 36, and37, as tar as they will go and withdraw said plug.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States :tor governmental purposes withoutthe payment tome vot any royalty thereon.

l claim:

l. An electric plug including a body, a substantially U-shaped springmember having its central portion secured within and its legs normallyextending without said body, threads upon said legs, a reciprocatingcenter contact, means mounted in the body for normally holding saidcenter contact in extended position, a cam lever hinged to one leg ofthe U-shaped member for retracting the center contact, and means foroperating the cam lever. A

2. An electric plug including a body, a substantially U-shaped memberhaving its legs normally separated, a reciprocating center contact,means normally holding the contact in extended position, and a cam leverhingedlyv carried by one of the legs of saidv member for closing themand retracting the center contact during the same movement of the camlever.

3. An electric plug including a body, resilient contact arms normallyseparated, a center contact member, a reciprocating support therefor,means holding the support in extended position, and a cam lever hingedlycarriedby one of the arms and engaging the support for simultaneouslyclosing the arms and retracting the support. Y

4. An electric plug including a body, normally separated resilientcontact arms, a center contact, a reciprocating slotted center support,means for normally holding the center contact support in its extendedposition, means carriedby the arms for closing them, and meanscontrolled by one of said closing means and engaging the slot in thecenter support for substantially simultaneously retracting said supportas the arms are closed.

ARCHIE REXALD WOLFE.

